Duane LewisIt may well be that Duane Lewis is more readily recognizable as one of the state’s top high school basketball coaches. Or he is even known across a wider circle in the basketball community as the “Shot Doctor,” but the venerable Lewis may well be one of Colorado’s finest small school athletes ever.
A native of Burlington, Lewis earned 14 letters in four sports from 1957 to 1960, including four each in football, basketball and baseball and another two in track. He was the Cougars quarterback for two years and tailback as a senior. He played every down on offense and defense for three year and was a four-year starter in baseball, helping his team to a state championship as a sophomore.
But basketball is where Lewis excelled. A four year starter, he led the state in scoring his senior year averaging 29 points per game, including games of 44, 44, 42 and 40, respectively, without the three point line. He was ranked as the state’s seventh leading career scorer when he graduated.
Lewis went on to the University of Colorado where he played both basketball and baseball.
Following his CU career, Lewis became a teacher and coach, earning Coach of the Year honors six times in basketball and three in golf. In his 24-year coaching, his teams compiled a 328-177 mark, including 207-114 at Alameda and 121-63 at Alamosa when both schools played AAA, the largest CHSAA classification.
Lewis was named coach of the year twice.
